"These Are My Twisted Words"

When asked whether there was a "definitive sound that you've been solidifying over your career" in a recent Believer interview, Thom Yorke said, "I fucking hope not." A great answer, for sure. But if it were 100 percent true, why would the band debut its apparent new stealth-leak release strategy with a song that's so, um, Radiohead-y? Coupled with the near-comical, "Twilight Zone"-style message folded into the official torrent-- "the box is not under threat... however they are set to remove... other boxes"-- the track's nauseous guitars, featherweight motorik beat, and vaguely whiny lyrics almost read as parody.

Maybe that's the point. Falling into the meta-message-board abyss for a moment... perhaps Yorke's words-- "When are you coming back?/ I just can't handle it"-- echo the constant back-and-forth between rabid Radiohead followers and the neurotic, perfectionist five-some themselves. While the band has often bitched about the mental strain of album-making and hinted at more spontaneous (and shorter) releases since approximately forever, "These Are My Twisted Words" and its unorthodox birth (not to mention that other recent surprise release) suggest they may actually mean it now. But a potentially bolded spot on a future timeline does not exactly equate to greatness; unlike In Rainbows, "These Are My Twisted Words" isn't as enticing as its method of distribution.